The Finished Bowl
The huge bowl in the previous page finally dried enough to turn (see next page), but here are some pics of a smaller Bradford Pear live edge from the same tree. BP is very heavy and dense, often beautifully colored, and may even contain some curly figure. It takes a lustrous, creamy almost-porcelain finish straight off the tool, and is one of my favorite woods to turn!
Here I have the outside of the bowl finished with the subtle recurve I favor on some bowls. As a well-known wood-turner says, "The outside IS your bowl." Spraying with water helps to prevent cracking as it starts to dry even on the lathe.
The finished bowl just glowing with several coats of boiled linseed oil hand-rubbed in. So far the bark is holding fine on these BP bowls!
Finished and ready for my Turning for Home Table. Lia approved!